Busia County Senator Andrew Okiya Omtatah Okoiti has firmly dismissed a legal notice demanding a retraction and apology over statements he made on the Senate floor regarding the alleged irregular grant of a rice importation quota to Business Bay Square Mall.

In a detailed response dated 25 August 2025, Senator Okoiti emphasized that his remarks, delivered during a parliamentary session on 9 July 2025, were made in the exercise of his constitutional mandate to hold the Executive accountable and promote transparency.

He underscored that the statements fall under parliamentary privilege, which protects legislators from civil or criminal liability for anything said in Parliament.

Okoiti further clarified that his request for a statement under Standing Order 53(1) of the Senate was directed to the Standing Committee on Tourism, Trade, and Industrialisation to seek clarity on government policies and administrative decisions regarding rice import quotas. He stressed that the inquiry aimed at public accountability and was not a personal attack on any entity.

Citing legal provisions including Article 117 of the Constitution, the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, and the Defamation Act, as well as relevant court rulings, Okoiti asserted that attempts to threaten or intimidate legislators from performing oversight duties are without legal basis.

“The proceedings of Parliament are a matter of public record,” Okoiti wrote, urging that any clarifications regarding the involvement of private entities in rice imports should be addressed directly before the Senate Committee rather than through external legal threats.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to protecting public interest, food security, and the livelihoods of Kenyan farmers.

The Senator’s response comes amid growing public debate over the administration of duty-free rice import quotas and the role of government institutions in safeguarding local agricultural production.